Alan Greenblatt
Alan Greenblatt has been covering politics and government in Washington and around the country for 20 years. He came to NPR as a digital reporter in 2010, writing about a wide range of topics, including elections, housing economics, natural disasters and same-sex marriage.
He was previously a reporter with Governing, a magazine that covers state and local government issues. Alan wrote about education, budgets, economic development and legislative behavior, among other topics. He is the coauthor, with Kevin Smith, of Governing States and Localities, a college-level textbook that is now in its fourth edition.
As a reporter for Congressional Quarterly, he was the inaugural winner of the National Press Club's Sandy Hume Memorial Award for Excellence in Political Journalism, which is given to outstanding reporters under the age of 35. Sadly, he no longer meets that requirement.
Along the way, Alan has contributed articles about politics and culture for numerous publications, including The New York Times, Washington Post and the San Francisco Chronicle. He is happy to be working for an outlet where he has been able to write about everything from revolutions in the Middle East to antique jazz recordings.
Alan is a graduate of San Francisco State University and holds a master's degree from the University of Virginia.
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Investigators have said the key clue is likely to come from photos or video taken by the public, and social media sites are buzzing with theories about possible suspects. But with so many images out there, it's like trying to find the one slightly off-white pingpong ball buried under 10,000 white pingpong balls.
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The days of made-to-order ice cream are far from over in San Francisco. A small shop that operates out of an old shipping container uses liquid nitrogen to freeze ingredients together in about a minute for an ultra-fresh, ultra-smooth treat.
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It may take runners a long time to erase the memory of bombs exploding right at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, one of the most celebrated races in the world. But many runners say continuing to run offers a small, symbolic way of putting such violence behind them.
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During a time of paralysis in Washington, states are taking the lead on a whole host of issues, from guns and gay marriage to education and tax policy. Of course, not everyone applauds the laws they pass. The Daily Show's Jon Stewart recently called states the "meth laboratories of democracy."
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Politicians who were caught up in sex scandals have often achieved second careers in media and lobbying. Now, some want to return to elective office.
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In its chess team's first year, Webster University has won a national championship. When the school hired coach Susan Polgar from defending champions Texas Tech last year, her players came along with her. Webster officials say the chess title raises the school's profile.
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Two white supremacist prison gangs have fallen under suspicion in recent high-profile slayings in Colorado and Texas. Experts say prison gangs of all races and ethnicities have evolved in recent years to include more activity outside the walls.
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A federal judge's ruling means the California city will become the largest ever to enter into bankruptcy. But the bankruptcy judge did not decide on the question of whether Stockton has to rethink its pension obligations.
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Name your issue — abortion, gun control, taxes, health policy — and it's likely that your state is moving in exactly the opposite direction from some of its neighbors.
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Amanda Knox may face a retrial for murder in Italy, but it would very likely be conducted without her. The legal mechanisms that allow for in absentia trials are common practice in courts around the world.